THE THREE MUSKETEERS: PART II – MILADY. Starring Eva Green, Francois Civil, Vincent Cassel, Lyna Khoudri, Louis Garrel and Pio Marmai. Directed by Martin Bourboulon. Rated M (Mature themes and violence). 114 min.
Contemporary release of two film versions of The Three Musketeers comes as a package of either two films or separately. Part I is labelled as The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan. The second film is titled, Part II – Milady. This review focuses on the more recent movie which relates to a modern translation of the classic 1844 Alexandre Dumas historical-adventure novel, The Three Musketeers. Part II starts where Part I ends, and Part I was awarded Best Production Design in the 2024 French Cesar Awards. It makes some sense to see a cinema package that combines the two films. They are currently released by some, but not all, Australian cinemas. This review addresses Part II that is now under release, as a French film with English subtitles.
Part I is an excellent international adaptation of the writings of Alexandre Dumas’ novel. It tells of a headstrong, impetuous youth, D’Artagnan, who travels to Paris in 1627 to join the elite force of the Musketeers (Athos, Porthos and Aramis) who formed the team that guarded King Louis XIII, while fighting for justice. Part I has D’Artagnan falling in love with a beautiful woman, Constance Bonacieux, who was later kidnapped under the orders of Cardinal Richelieu, the King’s chief minister. Part II focuses on D’Artagnan’s attempts to rescue his beloved, and he joins forces with the scheming Milady de Winter (Green) to try to find and save Constance.
Parts I and II, share similar casts, have a common director, are similarly classified (as M) and have complex, demanding plots. In Parts I and II, Civil plays D’Artagnan while Khoudri plays Constance. D’Artagnan is unwittingly helped in his quest by Milady, who seduces D’Artagnan.
Bourboulon stamps both films clearly as his own. Dumas writes about a kingdom under threat – one that is divided by religious wars, and the films jointly address the themes of treachery, murder, death, love, revenge, religious turmoil through war, and complex political intrigue. Part I is heavily focused on swashbuckling action while Part II is more lavish in its production design. Both are directed as period-thrillers, and succeed as such.
This film leaves it intriguingly unclear as to how much Milady was a person who was a victim of circumstance, or behaved only to serve herself. Green excels as the film’s scheming Milady. She is skilled at sword-fighting, malevolent, and her acting prowess reinforces the film’s tension by combining with period detail to make Part II an entertaining follow-up to Part I.
Palace Entertainment
Released 6 June 2024